


All The Bad Things Disappear

by ChromeMist



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Identity Reveal, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Luka Couffaine Knows, Not Beta Read, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:28:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25008463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChromeMist/pseuds/ChromeMist
Summary: After a tough battle, Marinette just wanted to collect the Miraculous and then go to bed. Except she can't find Viperion.
Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 9
Kudos: 135





	All The Bad Things Disappear

Ladybug dropped down into her room through the skylight and bounced off her bed, landing on the main floor in a crouch. She stared up at her bed longingly. It has been a tough battle, and while she really wanted to just go to sleep, she was still puzzling over where Luka could've gone. He'd disappeared quickly after the fight was over. She had already picked up everyone else's miraculous. She really needed to pick Sass up before she could rest. But he wasn't where she had found him before the battle, nor was he at the Liberty. Her boyfriend wasn't in his usual places, and that worried her.

"Tikki spots off." She said coming out of her crouch. "I just don't know where he could have gone."

"Marinette!" Tikki squeaked, panic in her voice. She looked up at her kwami, floating in the air with wide shocked eyes, staring at something behind her. Turning Marinette saw what had Tikki spooked.

There, curled up on her chaise, was Luka. Tears ran down his face to soak her pillow, Sass clutched in his grip. The little snakes tail wrapped around his wrist the best he could get.

"Marinette..." He croaked out, his voice broken and choking on a sob. Panic flooded Marinette. He had just seen her transform from Ladybug. And he never cried! What if he had gotten hurt during the battle and the Miracle Cute hadn't fixed it? But, a tiny flutter of relief passed through her, because he was here, he was safe for now. She rushed over to her chaise and dropped down on the edge next to him, cupping his face in her hands.

"Hey, hey what's wrong?" Worry about him now, worry about her reveal later. She brushed wet strands of dyed hair away from his face as he looked up into her eyes.

Luka let go of Sass, who floated away to join Tikki on the other side room to give their holders some privacy. Tikki hovered nervously until the old snake kwami wrapped his tail comfortingly around her. Tikki tried to relax, tried to have faith that this would be okay. 

The nineteen year old brought his hands up to cup her own face. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Luka whimpered. Marinette's heart broke. Even though she didn't know what he was sorry for, she'd never seen him break down this bad before in the three years she'd known him. He was always so steady, so calm and collected 

She laid down on her chaise, letting him crawl into her lap and wrap himself around her tightly. Tears soaked her shirt where he'd buried his face in her chest. His arms tightening around her more securely, as if he was afraid Marinette would disappear if Luka didn't hold on tight enough. He trembled in her arms, his shoulders heaving with his wracking sobs and heavy breaths.

"It's okay... Whatever it is, it's okay and I'm here." She whispered as soothingly as she could, running a hand through his hair.

"But you almost weren't here...' He choked out through his crying. Oh, maybe she had disappeared. Marinette took a deep breathe and then let it out slowly. 

"Okay. Cry it out, and then we'll talk." She felt him nod against her. Marinette hugged him tightly to herself and gave him the safe chance to fall apart. Luka curled himself tightly around her, and let himself go.

Now she knew what that tight look had been in Viperion's face once she had cast her Miracle Cure. No wonder he had fled to her place as soon as he could. And he had been here in her room crying while she had bounced all around the city looking for him. It was a damn miracle there were no butterflies.

Marinette glanced up quickly to spot both kwamis hovering just under her window. She noted that her skylight was now closed. Relief washed over her, knowing that they were on the lookout. If she were being honest with herself though, if a butterfly did come in, she would take it for herself before it could reach Luka. 

Hawkmoth was getting more and more dangerous as the time dragged on. His akuma's now were less 'capture the Miraculous' and more 'by any means necessary.' And judging by the current state of her boyfriend, this fight had been by any means. Marinette's arms tightened even more around Luka, gripping his shirt in her fists. This was getting to be too much now. She couldn't take much more of this, and she hated putting her friends in more and more danger. Something was going to have to give. She was getting so tired of all this.

After a few moments, Luka's shakes and sobs began to peter off. A small nudge at her cheek alerted her to Tikki, offering Marinette a tissue. Luka took a deep, shakey breath while Marinette gently maneuvered them to lie on their sides facing each other. With their legs tangled together and his arms around her waist, she used the tissue to wipe the remaining tears from his face.

"Okay?" She asked quietly. Luka only nodded and pressed his forehead into hers. Throwing the tissue behind her, she used her free hands to cup his warm cheeks. They laid like that while Luka composed himself enough to speak. He brought a hand up to caress her own cheek as he spoke.

"I've known you're Ladybug for years now. So please don't freak out about this." Behind her she heard Tikki gasp. Marinette only nodded her head, tamping down her panic for Luka's sake.

"Do you know everyone else?" She asked evenly.

"Rena, Carapace, Bunnix, and my sister." He answered back thinly. "And I can guess who everyone else is."

"Even Chat Noir?"

A dark look passed over Luka's face briefly, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. "I have my guesses. It's only a matter of time though, literally, until I for sure know the others. Hawkmoth is getting too desperate, so our battles are even more dangerous now than they ever were. I don't even want to tell you how many close calls I reversed."

"Luka... I'm so sorry..." Tears welled up in Marinette's eyes. This was all her fault. If only she was stronger, faster, smarter, then she wouldn't have ever needed to put her friends in harms way. Luka brushing the tears from under her eyes brought her out of her thoughts.

"Don't apologize Marinette. Please, don't ever apologize for getting me involved." Luka moved, closing his eyes and tucking his head under her chin. He wrapped his arms back around her waist, holding her close. Her arms moved back to cradle his head and shoulders, her fingers digging into his hair. "I don't even want to think of what would happen if you ever asked me to give up being Viperion. And I know you've thought about it." 

Marinette tensed up in his hold. " It was only one time." Marinette shuddered. She never wanted to think about that moment again. Luka chuckled dryly into her collarbone.

"Yeah, that wasn't a very good battle. Remind me not piss off Ladybug again."

" I'll mention to her to go easy on you next time I see her." Marinette mumbled back.

It hadn't been that she had been mad at him. No. The near hysterical screaming from Ladybug after that battle had been fueled by fear. She couldn't remember exactly how it had happened, time and panic had taken the details from her. She just remembered looking into the extremely pain filled eyes of Viperion as she flicked the timer back. She'd had to reset it because his other arm had been...

Marinette choked back her own sob. But Luka running his hand up and down her spine slowly grounded her. Now was not the time to bring up bad memories and the 'could have beens'. She took a deep breath, held it, then slowly released it.

"Exactly how long have you known I'm Ladybug?" She didn't need to ask him why he never said anything about it. Viperion knew how important her identity was to her after Ladybug had fended off a persistent Chat for years. Thankfully though, Chat Noir had backed off and calmed down as the years went by. 

"I had my suspicions for awhile honestly. But I knew after Desperada." Marinette physically cringed. Luka chuckled again, this time it contained some humor. "Pretty sure Ladybug didn't kiss anyone else after they gave back a Miraculous. I know I didn't get a kiss."

She could feel his smile as he moved his head to lightly kiss her neck. She hummed in the back of her throat, scratching her nails along his scalp.

"That was the worst day of decisions I ever made. Luka I'm so sorry."

" Don't be." He mumbled against her neck. "You were young and in love."

"No." She spat out. "I was young and obsessed and infatuated. I'm in love now. There's a difference." She snorted derisively at herself. " wish my eighteen year old self could kick my fourteen year old self in the rear for that."

"Bunnix could arrange that, you know." He jokingly suggested. Marinette chuckled in response.

"I'm sorely tempted, but we can't mess with the timelines. I know future Bunnix has come back a few times." Marinette sighed, running a hand through Luka's soft hair. "So, about today..." She ventured quietly. Luka's arms tightened around her, but he sighed and relented.

"Long story short, Marinette. You almost died. The fight was a complete mess." He paused, then hesitantly asked, "Could I give you my opinions on the team? I don't want to overstep you..."

"Of course you can tell me. Luka, you know I value your input, in and out of the mask." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Honestly? It kind of feels really good to finally be able to talk to someone else about this while not being Ladybug. Everyone puts me on a pedestal, and I can't make mistakes or cause doubt while being Ladybug. And Chat's still not too good at coming up with good plans. He's best at following the lead."

Luka nodded against her neck, still pressed tightly to her. "There team works well once you've come up with the final plan of attack. Other than that, everyone just kind of does their own thing and gets in each others way. That's why you were caught in the line of fire. You were focused on the others. Marinette..." He sighed and let her go, sitting up to face her fully. Marinette scooted up into a sitting position as well. "We're not a team."

Dread punched a hole into her stomach, confirming fears she'd had for awhile. Who was she kidding, really? She hadn't changed from the fumbling fourteen year old she'd been She couldn't keep Paris safe! The same maniac was still terrorizing her city. She couldn't keep her team together. Master Fu was wrong. She wasn't making progress. She still want good enough.

Cool fingers cupping her cheeks brought her out of her dark thoughts. "Marinette." Luka began, quietly yet firmly. "I can tell what you're thinking right now, you know. Please, stop thinking that way? I didn't say that to bring you down. We can fix this." He quirked a smile at her. "Haven't I always said how amazing you are?" 

Marinette smiled in return. "Yeah you have. And you'd never lie to me." Hope bubbled up through the darkness. Yes, she could do this! With Luka's help, she could get the team to shape up. Steeling her resolve, she broke out of his hold and went to her desk. After retrieving her special diary box, she made her way back to the chaise and sat down across from Luka again. Marinette pecked him on the lips in gratitude and opened the box, taking out her diary and turning to a fresh page.

"Okay, let's start making plans."

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed my little trip down Slight Angst Lane! Comments and kudos are appreciated! If you like this and wanna chat, please join me on my Tumblr under ChromeMist, or on my new Twitter @ChromeMist2
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Title is lyrics from 'I Don't Care' by Ed Sheeran.


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